


Who's the cutest little Jedi?

by supercalifragilistichespiralidoso



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: M/M, Pining, Pre-Slash, Shrinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24319252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercalifragilistichespiralidoso/pseuds/supercalifragilistichespiralidoso
Summary: The Team is tasked with the retrieval of a mysterious artefact. Something goes wrong.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 15
Kudos: 163





	Who's the cutest little Jedi?

**Who's the cutest little Jedi?**

It's supposed to be an easy mission, the kind Anakin's been on countless, boring times before when he was still a padawan - arrive, scour the place, secure the mysterious artefact, get back to the Temple. Easy. Except this one is not. Or well, it still is if one doesn't take into account the sketchy holopad-shaped thing, hidden in a barely visible alcove in the wall like some sort of shrine, inside a seedy, claustrophobic cave, on an otherwise barren planet. Oh, and the totally minor, irresistible impulse to grab the object in question, like it's calling for him to touch and tinker with. 

Obi-Wan, ever cautious, deems it dangerous - something about a high Force concentration and a dubious alignment. Anakin, ever eager on getting his hands on a new piece of tech, thinks the other Jedi is just paranoid and uptight. 

The thing is: Anakin doesn't touch the whatever it is they've been sent to collect, no - Obi-Wan does. As result of an obviously failed attempt (or successful, it depends on how you look at it) at preventing Anakin to get closer and have his way with the device. 

The other thing is: Obi-Wan was right. While Anakin thinks that the dynamic of the accident is quite ironic and the doubt on the type of alignment remarkably solved, he knows for a fact that watching his own master shrink down to unbelieveable size right before his eyes is pretty messed up. Big time. 

He freezes, not particularly interested in keeping his mouth shut, for a grand total of seven and a half seconds, before dropping to his knees and watching wide-eyed a tiny, flailing Obi-Wan.

"Master," he can't stop himself from whispering, apparently close enough to make the minute Jedi stumble a little. Anakin blinks once then twice and finds it difficult to catch Obi-Wan's gaze without having his eyes cross and vision blurr almost immediately. "What the karking hell?" he says and this time sends Obi-Wan straight on his ass. 

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan yells - as much as one can define that tiny voice as yelling anyway - and clutches his ears. "Would you mind keeping your voice down?" 

Anakin's seen a lot of weird things during his years as an apprentice and now as a Jedi Knight, and even before on Tatooine as a slave, but this - an approximately six-inch Obi-Wan Kenobi, sprawled on his back, with a scrunched face that makes him look like a miffed loth-cat - is so absurd that he has no other choice but to nod rather numbly and repeat, in his mind now,  _ what the karking hell.  _

Obi-Wan, though, seems to take it in stride: he gets up with far more dignity that his predicament allows and proceeds to a thorough examination of his body, like he is expecting himself to be lacking not only in height, but also a limb, or a tunic or two. 

"Uhm," is all Anakin manages to say, which is not exactly useful or brilliant - no matter how hard he racks his brains, he is stuck. "What happened?" 

Obi-Wan tilts his head up, seemingly dissatisfied with the check-up and with the expression of someone whose body has failed him, squinting like he hasn't seen daylight in a very long time. "You've just shrunk me," he says, and though his voice doesn't let on his plausible internal turmoil, Anakin can sense it anyway over the bond.

"What?" Anakin snaps. "It's not my fault!" 

Obi-Wan's right eyebrow appears to have a life of its own. "I told you not to touch it," he says.

"And I didn't!" Anakin argues, arms crossed over the chest. "You did."

"And whose fault is that?" Obi-Wan argues back and before Anakin can even open his mouth and counteract that... well, something, Obi-Wan adds: "and lower your voice, for Force's sake! Are you trying to give me inner ear haemorrhage on top of everything else?" 

Anakin huffs but says nothing else, pondering how someone as tall as his first padawan braid could still be such a huge pain in the ass and finding himself out of answers. "Maybe if you touch it again..." he trails off when Obi-Wan sends his way a heated glare. "Fine, no one touches it anymore," Anakin agrees, hands held high in surrender. 

"Let's just get out of here," Obi-Wan says, resigned. So they get back to the ship: tiny Obi-Wan in Anakin's closed fist and the offending artifact hovering at their side.

-

Anakin is sure that Obi-Wan would have liked a silent trip back to Coruscant, maybe conveniently spent meditating his way out of the mess. And well, he can't say he wouldn't have preferred it too. Instead, all they do is fight. For a number of reasons. The first of which is totally Obi-Wan's fault because he had absolutely no motive at all to bite Anakin's hand when the latter had been the only thing standing between himself and a freefalling to death, or between himself and hours-worth trek to the ship on tiny legs, or also between his snack-sized body and the stomach of local wildlife. And just because he was squeezing too tight! How was he supposed to know the right way to hold another living being in his fist?

"Do I need to remind you that you're the one to blame for this situation?" are Obi-Wan's words when Anakin reminds him that biting is not an appreciated thank-you for saving a life in any part of the galaxy. 

And this - it's your fault, no it's yours - is the second reason. Anakin is even kind enough to acknowledge that Obi-Wan was right in believing that the kriffing contraption was a dark object or whatever and that he shouldn't have tried to touch it, but the shrinking must have damaged something in Obi-Wan's hearing or his brain, because he is more unimpressed than usual with what in his self-righteous mind are Anakin's excuses to run away from his responsibility. Which are not. Not in the past, not now - that thing wanted for him to touch it, appealed to his Force sensitivity or something and, okay, clouded his judgment, but surely it wasn't all Anakin's fault, right? 

The third source of their bickering involves the precious Council. Anakin has never really neglected to report back to the Council after a mission - it's just that most of his assignments are with Obi-Wan, who seems only ecstatic at the idea of a long conversion made of not-really-there compliments and vague instructions, why deprive him of such a joy? So Anakin innocently suggests that it's on Obi-Wan to inform whoever is available at the moment at the Temple of their little ("no pun intended, Master") problem. But Obi-Wan refuses - he doesn't want the other members to see him like this and nothing Anakin says can dissuade him of the wretched idea, never mind that they are bound to find out anyway. 

Another round of it's-your-fault-Anakin-so-you-call-them later, Anakin hasn't given in but kinda admitted his displeasure with a certain bald member of the Council. To which Obi-Wan's reply is: "Master Windu doesn't hate you, Anakin - don't be ridiculous. And Jedi can't hate, anyway, you should know that by now." 

Anakin sighs and leaves, not really in the mood for the umpteenth lecture from his former mentor who is proving to be far more annoying now that is hardly as tall as the hilt of a lightsaber.  _ Size really doesn't matter _ . Laughing at himself for his own terrible joke, he goes back because he has left Obi-Wan on the co-pilot seat and no matter the nuisance, he isn't thrilled at the idea of finding a squashed Jedi on his ship floor. 

So here they are: one and a six-inch Jedi, sitting in a tense silence in the cockpit of a ship. It kinda seems the incipit of a really poor joke. Anakin is fumbling with the rim of the bacta patch around his forefinger that he's applied just to make a scene and be more convincing, and if by doing that he has just proved otherwise because he's never bothered with bacta patches before for small bruises, well subtlety is never been his forte. Obi-Wan, instead, is still sitting where Anakin left him for maybe a minute, with his legs stretched in front of him and eyes closed.

"Are you meditating?" Anakin asks, careful to not offend the other's sensitive ears. 

"No," Obi-Wan says, without opening his eyes. "I feel like someone tried to jam a pike into my head and started hammering it in to crack my skull in half," he answers, voice calm. 

"That's oddly specific," Anakin winces. 

"Dantooine. Qui-Gon tried to stop me," Obi-Wan replies and Anakin can see the exact moment his lips twitch a bit after realizing he's probably said the wrong thing. 

"Right," Anakin seizes the moment, sloppily trying to hide a forming grin. "Remind me again how you were an obedient padawan back in the days". 

The grin turns into a full-on smirk when Obi-Wan breaks his perpetual stoic expression to roll his small eyes upwards. "Are you really so insensitive of my predicament to hold my mistakes against me so nonchalantly?" he says and Anakin is already over their little spat that he can recognize the vague apology. 

He fakes a sympathetic face. "Not mistakes," he concedes, right cheek slightly hurting already. "More like shortcomings." 

Obi-Wan groans at the stupid line and just like that Anakin knows that everything is fine.

-

With the hard feelings between himself and Obi-Wan out of the way and the trauma of seeing his Master shrink subdued, Anakin can appreciate the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he's been presented - not that he has ever had qualms about teasing Obi-Wan since the moment he'd realised that his Master was not as stiff as the other ones - namely Mace Windu - were proving to be. And the sight of Vokara Che's frown upon seeing Obi-Wan's reduced physical form is not as priceless as the irony of Grandmaster Yoda (2'2 inches) bowing to have a good look at Obi-Wan, but close enough. Even more so if one considers that, according to her, Obi-Wan is in perfect health and has just to wait out the effects or that someone comes up with another solution. 

When Master Che leaves to take care of another small ("stop grinning, Knight Skywalker") humanoid youngling, Anakin is certain that this is the best day of his life. 

"Come on, Master, it's not so bad," he attempts at making the other Jedi feel better. 

At which Obi-Wan just deadpans and lies down on the endless white sheets, and with him wearing his mostly light clothes, looks like just a small smudge with a few specks of orange and brown. "I shudder to think what your overactive mind needs to see to say that it is that bad," he says with a loud sigh. 

"Well, you could be severely injured, or dead, or under someone's shoe, or-"

"Yeah, Anakin, you've made your point," Obi-Wan interrupts him. 

Anakin just shrugs, not wanting to really think about the worst case scenario. "At least, you've got to keep your good looks," he adds, smiling internally and externally for he knows how much Obi-Wan gets embarrassed when Anakin comments on his physical appearance. 

And predictably, Obi-Wan's face and neck get all flustered. "Stop with this nonsense, Anakin."

"Oh, Master, don't sell yourself so short," he continues, barely suppressing a laugh. "We'll find you a nice doll to keep you company, one that talks even."

Obi-Wan's cheeks get as red as a Sith's lightsaber. 

"Who's the cutest little Jedi? You are, you are," Anakin coos and because he can't stop himself, he pats his Master on the head with a finger. 

In the future, he won't say that he deserved it, because that little shit did not have to bite him on the same finger again. 

\- 

The news of a shrunk Obi-Wan Kenobi spreads around the Temple at lightning speed somehow. Everyone wants to take a look at the tiny Jedi and at first Anakin has nothing against it, he even encourages it - it's actually amusing to see Obi-Wan trying to maintain his composure and not snap at someone else who's not Anakin for once.

Problems start when some padawans try to pat him on the head. Now, Anakin knows that he did the same not even thirty minutes prior - and he has proofs! - but Obi-Wan is  _ his _ former Master and Anakin is the only one legitimated to do as he pleases, that should be clear enough; everyone else must suck it up and keep their hands to themselves. 

Since Anakin too can't really snap at someone, he's forced to get away from the various pokes and prods. Out of the Temple. With Obi-Wan well hidden inside the new custom-made pouch at his belt. The little shit, though, starts to squirm and scream so much that Anakin has to let him out almost immediately. 

"Don't ever do that again, Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouts and notices just in time that he's not in the flesh hand. Pity, Anakin thinks.

"I'm just trying to protect you," he says instead, his cybernetic arm close to the body, moving among other sentients crowding the streets.

Obi-Wan glares. "By suffocating me to death?"

Anakin rolls his eyes skyward and sighs. "Should I fall to the Dark Side in the future and go on a rampage, know that I learnt all the dramatics from you, Master." 

Obi-Wan says nothing but Anakin can hear him mumble something like  _ idiot _ under his breath. Then, being the good, little Jedi he is, he finally pays attention to where they are. "Where are we going?" 

Anakin has to suppress a laugh at the thought. "Don't take this wrong, but you stink," is the planned response. 

There are a few moments of silence, during which Obi-Wan seems to sniff the air around himself and then agree on his not-exactly lovely body odour. "So what? They moved our quarters and didn't see fit to inform me?" he asks, the smartass attitude of his Master making Anakin's heart sing in ecstasy.

Anakin shakes his head, smiling jovially for the conversation is heading precisely where he wants it. "No, don't worry, you still live at the Temple," he says and the joke on dramatics was true because he pauses just for a couple of seconds before adding: "but the toy shop is here."

Obi-Wan squints and speaks oh so slowly. "Why do we need a toy shop?"

"You'll need fresh clothes after the shower, won't you?"

Anakin takes actual pride in how Obi-Wan starts to squirm all over again in his clenched hand. 

"Anakin, no!" 

"Obi-Wan, yes!" 

"I won't wear them" 

"You wanna go around naked?" Anakin asks, walking faster now that the shop sign is in sight. Obi-Wan just glares at him murderously. "I thought so."

-

In the end Anakin buys two dolls for Obi-Wan.

Back when the idea was first brought up, he couldn't have known that a Negotiator doll and a Hero With No Fear doll would have been so useful - he and Obi-Wan hated them both for the principle (the two of them were fighting a kriffing war and they were having fun launching a line of toys with their features) and because it was too creepy to see their own face on a piece of plastic. Also, it was kinda weird that children, all over the galaxy, would be playing with a mini Anakin or a mini Obi-Wan. Today Anakin is not even remotely happy of having their own action figure, but he's come to appreciate their usefulness and the chance of making his life much more easier. Otherwise he'd never have found an exactly same replica of Obi-Wan's light Jedi tunics and cloak in the right size. Force forbid should he wear something else when he's not on an undercover mission (and if Anakin had in mind of dressing him up with something either flashy or silly, well it was all in good faith). 

He's even bought an Anakin Doll to keep him company because any Obi-Wan Kenobi should have his Anakin Skywalker, no matter the size. And because it was a package deal, so...

Obi-Wan, though, has refused to talk to Anakin at all during the trip back to the Temple, withholding his opinion on the ugliness of their dolls even when Anakin's threatened to put him again inside the pouch and shake it enough to drown him in his own puke. 

"You're supposed to be the grown up between us, old man," he says, half-amused and half-annoyed because there is obviously no point in teasing Obi-Wan if he doesn't respond in kind. 

Anakin has put him on the counter in the kitchenette when something hits him on the side of the face. He's confused for about two seconds before connecting the small nut on the floor and Obi-Wan's arm raised. "That's a blatant misuse of the Force, Master - I'm appalled," Anakin lectures him, doing his best imitation of Obi-Wan's unimpressed tone and face.

Obi-Wan ignores him. "I don't want tea right now," he says instead, eyeing the kettle with the same longing expression of someone who doesn't want anything else than a steamy cup of tea at the moment. And possibly his stature back.

"I'm not making you tea," Anakin croons, filling up Obi-Wan's cup with warm water and a couple of drops of shower gel. "I'm running you a bath." 

Obi-Wan stares at him like he's grown other two heads. "You're delusional if you think I'll wash inside a cup," he says, murderously, arms crossed at the chest, sitting with his back propped up against the empty milk cartons. 

"You'll drown in the shower," Anakin points out. 

Obi-Wan just shrugs. "That's slightly more dignified than dying of humiliation."

Anakin sighs, left side against the counter. "It's just me here and you've seen me hit puberty," he says just to get him in the cup, because he's completely sure that he's not been through any awkward phase while growing up. Maybe just a bit. 

That does seem to convince Obi-Wan, or perhaps it's been a long day and even more difficult for such a tiny person. He's taking off his outer tunic when he stops suddenly, watching Anakin with his eyebrows near the hairline. "I'd like some privacy," he demands, unruffled. 

"It's nothing I've never seen," Anakin reminds him. They're at war and not always have the luxury of separate tent or privacy on missions. 

"It's different - we're not on the battlefield now" argues Obi-Wan. 

Anakin complies. He was expecting nothing different from his former Master and he just wanted to tease him a bit - curiosity is there obviously but that's normal, right? Who wouldn't be curious in his place? And he's even more justified with the thoughts that pass through his head about Obi-Wan even at normal size. 

A faint splash is the sign that Obi-Wan is the cup and effectively when he turns, the other is there, gloomy and embarrassed surrounded by bubbles that are bigger than his head. Anakin has to pop one with the finger - metal one because Obi-Wan's watching suspiciously - if he doesn't want to be on the verge of a laughing fit every time he blink his eyes open. 

"Do you need something to float?" he asks, purposefully serious like he's never been in his life, not even during boring meetings with some ambassador or other important people from other planets. 

Obi-Wan must have an arsenal of dirty looks because, since he's been shrunk, he has used at least five versions of them, differing for the degree of his eyebrows's angle. The one he's using right now says  _ go away before I try to kill you even in this state _ . 

Anakin yields with a last smirk - taking note in his mind of reminding Obi-Wan in the future of all these times that he's been obedient - because he has other things to do, namely shorten Obi-Wan's toy cloak and pants as they're still long enough to make him fall over. 

Armed with scissors, Anakin cuts the last inch of both, leaving the plastic ankles of the doll in sight. Satisfied with his doing, he lifts the little masterpiece so that Obi-Wan can see it above the border of the mug.

"I'll never wear that thing," he growls, looking at the stiff cloak with distaste, like it's offended him by only being in the same space as him. 

Anakin sighs. "We've already established that you don't want to go around in the nude and wearing the same clothes kinda invalidates your luxurious bath, so you'll wear them, small one," he says, with the his best authoritative tone, the one that he's always been at end of by that same man in the cup. "And it's not that bad, uh?" he asks, dingling again the cloak. 

Obi-Wan snorts indelicately, popping a bubble of soap under his chin. "If you fall and the Order rejects you, you'll have a promising career ahead of you."

Anakin feels the corner of his mouth lift unconsciously. "I'll make you tiny little cloaks in every colour, even orange to go with your hair," he beams and then sputters the few drops of water that Obi-Wan's splashed his way. "I'll have to report you to the Council, Master," Anakin threatens, though he's sure that not even a youngling in the crèche would find him intimidating with his undoubtedly - surely mischievous - soft gaze and teeth showing. 

And Obi-Wan doesn't take him seriously because he says: "I hate you," with a less soft look and no smile, but he's not even shielding his thoughts from Anakin, who can feel that his Master is not that uncomfortable anymore - as much as possible anyway in his condition. 

Anakin tuts. "Hate and misuse of the Force in the same day - who's more likely to fall between us?" he lectures honest to gods giggling. And he counts it as a victory when Obi-Wan's lips twitch in a manner that resembles a smile, shaking his head.

"Just turn around again."

Anakin does, but not before passing him a small scrap of a towel he's cut out earlier.

Obi-Wan looks at the smooth piece of fabric. "You're having too much fun with this," he says, nonplussed. 

The taller Jedi shrugs, turning. "It's fun," he observes, referring to both the taylor thing and the shrinking situation. 

He waits a couple of minutes, staring at the hunk of metal, near the fridge he was using to fix a mouse droid before the last mission assignment from the Council - maybe now he'll have time to finish it. 

When Anakin faces Obi-Wan again his heart almost stops - the tiny man is wrapped up in the piece of towel, covered from the neck down like some sort of white cape, wet hair all over the place and rosy cheeks, an adorable small pout on the lips - and he has to wonder how pathetic it is that he falls in love with the man a little more at this scene that should have made him laugh instead. And it is rather hilarious, but it also makes Anakin feel like a raging krayt dragon has settled at the pit of his stomach. 

Another nut on the forehead makes him snap out of it. "What?" he asks when it's clear that Obi-Wan's said something. 

"You're being weird," he says, gesturing at his face with vague movements. 

Kark, Anakin thinks - he must have been smiling like an idiot. Shielding his thoughts tightly like he's probably never done in his life, Anakin snorts grumpily. "Bold of you to call me weird when you look like that," he says, trying not to show that he has absolutely nothing against how he looks, no matter that he's shorter than his own doll. 

Combing his hair back with a hand (and Anakin has to look away) Obi-Wan seems unbothered. "I'm under the effects of a Sith object, what's your excuse?"

Anakin huffs and doesn't answer obviously. "Do you think you can manage it alone for a while? I'd like a shower too."

"Please do," says Obi-Wan, promptly. "If your sweaty hands are telltale of something is that you need a thorough washing."

"I don't have sweaty hands," Anakin denies, indignant. 

"You do."

"Shut up if you don't want my sweaty hands all over you!" 

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shoot up at lightning speed, mischievous glint in his eyes.

Anakin is confused for just three seconds before the meaning of his words hits him like a punch in the face. "To crush you!" he rushes to explain, wide-eyed and panicked. "I meant-"

He stops there, scowling, because Obi-Wan bursts out laughing so hard it looks like he's about to turn purple and choke any other moment. Without so much as a word, Anakin, feeling entirely justified, bends down and pokes the other in the chest with enough momentum to send him onto his ass with a light oof.

-

Still irritable for his misspeaking, even after the shower, dinner is a quick and dull affair - his only satisfaction results from seeing Obi-Wan scratch his back, thighs and chest because of the itchy clothes. When they move to the couch, Anakin is almost tempted to sit Obi-Wan subtly near the gap between the cushions but in the end just plops him down on the arm, and datapad in hand they try to watch something to pass time. Keyword: try, because their different interests are particularly evident right now, more than other times: Anakin would like to catch on podracing, while Obi-Wan seems bent on watching a boring historic holodrama. 

The point is, Obi-Wan can be quite petty if it's in his intentions and apparently a real sadist. After the third time Anakin tries to change program, Obi-Wan activates his tiny (real, not the fake one that comes with the doll) lightsaber and hits him on the flesh hand - a standard-size lightsaber would have caused irreparable consequences, but this one is so minute that has just left a small burnt mark. 

So with an armed Obi-Wan, who shows no qualms about using his weapon, Anakin is forced to watch the stupid holodrama and, to make matters worse, he has to hold the datapad. It goes without saying that Anakin falls asleep in the next five minutes and is awoken abruptly by another burn on the same hand. "What? I was just sleeping now!" he protests, massaging the skin around the new mark. 

"Your snoring was too loud," Obi-Wan replies like it's nothing. 

Anakin considers using the datapad for purposes it's never intended or to accidently to knock him over, but much to his chagrin, he has to desist again. "Stop with that thing - don't make me take it from you," he threatens, stifling a yawn. A lightsaber is a fundamental weapon for a Jedi, as Obi-Wan's repeated countless times, so Anakin has no real intention of taking it but desperate times and so on.

"I've got to have fun somehow, right?" 

"By marking me?" Anakin asks, a wicked grin on his face. "I knew that under all the tunics you hide some twisted morals." 

Obi-Wan shakes his head, deactivating the glowing blade of the lightsaber. "You're crazy," he just says, exasperation mixed with something else. 

Anakin nods. "You should thank the Force - I can't see any other Knight taking care of their former Master like I'm doing." 

"You just want a laugh at my expanse," Obi-Wan says, earning a conceding gaze from Anakin. "Also, I didn't ask you anything." 

Anakin arches an eyebrow. "You think that by telling me that you can make me somewhat think less of myself?"

"Wow," Obi-Wan deadpans, but it's clear that he's trying not to laugh, "you're even more ridiculous than I thought."

Without batting an eyelash and blaming the drowsiness, Anakin says: "Crazy and ridiculous - find some insults too, Master, or I'll think you love me too much," which in hindsight it's not the smoothest retort. 

He anticipates some witty remark or even a lecture because that's Obi-Wan for you, but is instead confronted with poignant silence. Anakin turns his head to look at the tiny Jedi, heartbeat suddenly faster, letting something like hope flicker briefly in his squirming belly.

Nothing happens though - not that he's been expecting something different.

Obi-Wan just shakes his head again and says : "It's late, we should go to sleep".

Anakin's not disappointed, really - he's been on the receiving end of this recurrent uncertainty on more than one instance, always believing that Obi-Wan would finally say or do something, anything, before having to confine his wish in the back of his mind.

He knows he'll have to find a solution soon because he can't see himself continuing like this but now is hardly the right moment. So Anakin just gets to his feet leaving the datapad on the couch and placing Obi-Wan in the palm of his hand.

They go inside his bedroom, which is a mess of scrap parts and a small pile of discarded civilian clothes (the ones used for undercover missions mostly) in a corner as usual. 

He starts to put Obi-Wan on his pillow, but the older Jedi is not of the same mind. "I can't sleep with you," he says, curt. 

"Why not?" Anakin frowns, hiding another yawn behind his gloved hand. 

"I don't want to be crushed under you" Obi-Wan replies, suddenly a bit red in the face, but before Anakin can ask him the reason, he speaks again. "Just put me on the bedside table."

For a minute Anakin is tempted to protest that he will not crush him, but gives up and does as he's told. He folds an old shirt of his to give him something between his back and the hard wood and hesitates just a second before disappearing inside the small wardrobe to retrieve what he needs. He fidgets with his mother's white handkerchief, the only thing left of her he has, a couple of seconds and then hands it to Obi-Wan. 

"In case you're cold." 

Obi-Wan stares at him like he's understood perfectly what the small object means to Anakin, but he doesn't say anything - he just smiles, soft and only a tad bit sad. "Thank you."

-

An entire week goes by and Obi-Wan seems to be having an identity crisis every other day that he doesn't turn to his normal size - the one when Artoo almost runs him over it's the worst and Anakin promises that it doesn't matter if he won't get back to normal because he'll keep taking care of Obi-Wan even if the older Jedi doesn't want to and he'll have to mark him to death with his lightsaber to get rid of him.

On his part, Anakin tries to be as careful as possible and to reduce the hours that he's away training Ahsoka or updating the Council or simply for a change of scenery (he even refuses to meet with the Chancellor, without telling him the reason, obviously).

When Obi-Wan goes missing on the eighth day, Anakin goes batshit crazy. He looks for him everywhere, in every corner of their living quarters, every nook and crannies - under the fridge, between the cushions of the couch, in the tea box, on top of the shelves, through his spare tunics, behind the sink. He seems to have vanished into thin air and for a scary, long moment Anakin really considers the possibility before banishing it vehemently from his brain. No, Obi-Wan, wherever he is at the moment, is fine and ecstatic and near even - Anakin can feel him in the Force. But where? He won't find peace until he sees him with his own eyes. 

Anakin is out of the door within seconds after deciding to broaden the search range to the entire Temple, but bumps into something very solid not even three steps later and next thing he knows he's sprawled on top of Obi-Wan. "Where the karking hell were you?" Anakin barks, lifting on his elbows, anger seeping out of his each and every pores and he doesn't even care if it's not very Jedi-like. 

"I went to the Halls of Healing," Obi-Wan answers, standing there, under him without moving. 

The calm in his Master's voice just serves to irk him even more, so much that Anakin doesn't comment on the fact that now Obi-Wan is back at his standard size. "And leave a message would've hurt you?" he snarls, uncontrolled. "I thought something happened - I thought you-"

"Anakin, I'm fine," Obi-Wan cuts in, gripping the other's arm. 

"I'm not," Anakin admits, suddenly drained. He doesn't want to think about the Rako Hardeen fiasco, about his empty soul and loneliness, his broken heart. He's forgiven Obi-Wan and moved on. Disappearing for half an hour is not the same as faking your own death and then expecting everything's well, but Anakin's felt similarly lost and betrayed. "Don't do that ever again. Never."

Obi-Wan stares at him for a long moment and for once doesn't lecure Anakin on his instability, poor control, lacking respect - he just nods. "Promise." 

The silence after that stretches on and it's only the brief presence of a young Padawan passing around them that makes the two Jedi realize the position they're in - Anakin with all his weight on top of Obi-Wan whose hands are still on Anakin's his arm and the other on the hip, the distance between their faces never so short. It would be so simple now to lean in and kiss him. 

"So," says Obi-Wan, tense, Adam's apple bobbing up and down. Anakin clears his throat. "I owe you one," Obi-Wan says, stilted. 

"You do," Anakin replies, nodding, refraining from disclosing the multiple other sarcastic comments to lighten the mood. 

Then slowly rolls off and gets to his feet, reaching a hand out for Obi-Wan to take. He does, albeit a bit late. "Can't keep your hands off of me, uh?" Obi-Wan says, and it's obvious that he's tried and failed for casualness. 

Anakin's breathing almost stops altogether. He tilts his head sideways, narrowed eyes never leaving Obi-Wan's, and makes a small attempt at touching the other's mind but apart from amusement there's nothing else for him to see.

"Well, I did threaten you with my hands all over you, didn't I?" he says, hoping to sound smoother than his Master. 

Not letting go of Anakin's hand, Obi-Wan beams like he's the human equivalent of sunshine. "You did," he replies and there's something in the way his eyes twinkle with mirth and his thin mouth quirks that Anakin thinks that this time is really different, that maybe things can effectively change because their situation is not as hopeless as he-

"But later; now I feel the compelling need to eat a decent meal and not your scraps." 


End file.
